Azrem to Ruuk no Hanashi
by lit by twilight
Summary: [Otogi x Noa][AU] The peaceful land of Azrem and it's largest city, Ruuk, has never once seen a bloody day. But one boy known only as a slave, may be something entirely different, the peaceful country of Azrem may find itself emerged in a horrible feud.
1. Of Slaves and Jewelry

Azrem to Ruuk no Hanashi

- - -

Warnings: Yaoi/Shounen Ai/Slash/MalexMale

Author: Sakura Kaiba

Disclaimer: I did not create Yuugiou, Yu-Gi-Oh!, or any of the characters from the series. I did, however, think of a couple names for towns, cities, countries, and currency. With that said, please don't sue, and let us continue.

- - -

A young man walks delicately along the large marketplace of a small town in Azrem, a quiet country. This country lives mostly in peace among their world, it had never been in war, never seen anything of a bloody day. Never been glazed by plagues, and was a great land. This country of Azrem was about the size of modern day China, vast lands most unoccupied by the humble people of the country and its small villages and towns.

A royal family was that that kept the peace in the great and calm country of Azrem, this family's name that of Otogi. Their family had kept this land growing, and flourishing amongst all of their plains and forests, lakes and rivers. This town, was the large town of Ruuk. This town held the royal palace. It was known for that, and its vast marketplace, the sweet smell of fruits and bread permeating all throughout the warm summer air, laughing of young children could be heard, and idle chat between those villagers.

Ruuk flourished off of its markets, dealers selling and trading and buying with the masses each day. There you could find fresh meat, fresh foods, jewelry, pottery, fabrics. . . anything that you desired. Many traveled to Ruuk to taste the great foods and wines, to buy the expensive fabrics, and to meet new and other people.

- - -

This particular day, this particular boy, was wrapped in fine brown cloaks and a hood to shield his pale face. If one were to look upon him for more than a minute, they would know. This boy was the Otogi prince, Ryuuji. Many a time the prince took leisurely breaks from his work to go out into the streets and see the markets of Ruuk, never once letting a person set eyes on him for too long. His emerald eyes and beautifully straight ebony-black hair would give him away in an instant. Thus, he must be careful.

Soon the young prince, looking to be around the age of 20, found himself looking over a large display of silver and golden jewelry in a small shop located in the heart of Ruuk. A burly man owned the shop, and he was sitting out on a chair, observing Ryuuji from under a hat that was keeping the sun from out of sapphire eyes. This storekeeper seemed to be around the age of 50, light and dirty clothing covering his body.

"May I help you, sir?" Came a raspy voice, as he stretched to stand out of his chair, making his way over to where Ryuuji stood. The prince looked up, standing on the opposite side of the display from the man, a little tent behind the storekeeper. The prince assumed that this is where the man slept.

"I am only looking for something special, to give my sister as a gift for her 12th birthday." Came the boy's careful voice. His hidden eyes fell back to the glittering objects on the table, in search of the perfect item as the man let out a small grunt, grinning.

"Well. . ." He began quietly, motioning to a few bracelets. "There are some real beauties here, ay?" His moustache twitched with his grin. "Those there rubies came from Yeurn. Beautiful city, that one. High up in the mountains."

Ryuuji nodded to show the man that he was listening. "Yes, I have visited that city thrice in my lifetime. Wonderful place to visit." Lifting his head, the young prince was able to see a small boy stepping out from behind the man and the curtains to their assumed sleeping quarters. He smiled to the small boy, making the boy's equally beautiful eyes widen and he scurried to hide behind his father.

'Could it be that he recognizes me. . .?' Ryuuji frowned, but didn't question as he straightened up from the position he had taken to view the precious gems and rings. The boy moved his head just a bit as the prince stood, some sort of curious fear in his sapphire eyes.

The boy had short hair, with lighter aquamarine bangs to match the darker aqua of the rest. He was in seemingly the same garb as the large man, and was not hiding as much anymore.

"Excuse me," Ryuuji smiled up to the large man. "But how much would you like for your slave boy?"

At the mention of a slave boy, the burly old man blinked twice, before looking down at the aquamarine haired smaller. "Him?" He asked, turning to Ryuuji once more. "You're mistaken, this is not my slave, he is my son. His name is Noa."

"Oh, I apologize." Ryuuji shook his head. "It did not even occur to me." His attention was once again on the boy, Noa, as he was still hiding behind his father. "How old is he?"

"Why, 16, I could guess. Never really did count." The man lifted a hand to his small beard, scratching in thought with the numbering, before his attention was also directed to Noa. "Wouldn't you say that's about right?"

Noa nodded weakly, his eyes shifting between Ryuuji and his own father. Would his own father really sell him away? He didn't think—it wouldn't be right. His father had more morals than that. He was family. His only son. Both men were smiling at him. That only made him uneasier.

"Is he healthy? Virgin?"

"Why yes, I believe so." Noa took a step back at his and his father's words, frowning. His father really would do it, wouldn't he? Sell him as a pleasure slave to a prince?

"Father. . ." Noa whispered, scared. The large man hushed him.

"I will let him visit you frequently. I will not do anything to him that he dislikes." Ryuuji promised carefully. "He looks like a wonderful boy. Not strong, but attractive. I like his colour. I will give you 30,000 Nei for him."

This made the man's eyes widen, and he had to take a step back. 30,000 Nei? At most for your own son you could get 450 Nei, but never that much! That was. . . unbelievable! Shifting his weight, the man looked back down to Noa with a frown. "Now. . . Noa, we need the money. . ."

Noa's eyes widened at that. "Wha—what?" He couldn't believe that. His father was going to sell him. Looking down to the dirty ground, Noa shook his head. His father glanced from him back up at Ryuuji.

"You'll treat 'em good, right?" He swallowed, eyes concerned for his boy. Ryuuji's eyes fell on the shaking boy, who was now in tears on the ground, and he frowned, but nodded sincerely to the boy's father.

"Yes, I will." He whispered.

The large man looked down at the smaller, frowning as Ryuuji went to place the money on the table, and adding in just a bit more to take a bracelet that he'd found suitable for his younger sister. He gladly took the money, pocketing it with his other dangling bags at his waist. He shifted, kneeling down to Noa with a bit of difficulty.

"Noa. . . you're going home with him, alright?" The aqua haired boy glanced up to see the prince giving him quite the apathetic look, and waiting for the other to accept the hand he held out. Noa finally brought himself up from the dust, patting it off of his bottom and moving to take the prince's hand carefully.

Ryuuji bowed his respect to Noa's father, pulling the other boy closer to him as they began the long walk back to the palace in the heat. He was quite glad that the small boy didn't fight him on their way, though with the littler one's size, he didn't think that he had thoughts of attempting in the first place.

"Am I to be your pleasure slave?" Asked the small boy. This time, Ryuuji had a good chance to hear Noa's voice. It was quite feminine for a boy's voice, though the boy himself was small, and it seemed to fit him perfectly.

To answer his question, Ryuuji just shook his head. "No, you are not. You are to be my companion, my friend. Not just a slave." He smiled down at the other, squeezing his hand a little. This made the other blush, and he seemed quite glad to hear otherwise.

- - -

When the two of them seemed to be out of earshot of most of the masses, and on a small forest road up to where most knew the palace was located, Noa shifted. Tilting his head, his attention fell on the slightly taller man. "You are the prince, aren't you? Prince Ryuuji?"

Instead of showing shock, Ryuuji only smiled, nodding. He didn't look down to meet the other's eyes, but a playful smirk danced over his lips. "Yes, I am." He answered. "You could tell from when I looked at you that first time, hmm?"

"Yes,"

"Just as I thought. I was supposed to be in disguise, I mustn't have been doing too good of a job, huh?" He chuckled to his own small joke, and Noa joined in on the laughter. He was about to question Noa further, until the palace gates came into view. "Aha—here we are." He declared, and in a rush began to run, pulling along the other by his hand.

Noa blinked, but let out a small laugh as he let himself be dragged, over a small bridge, and all the way up to the palace gates, where he would be living.


	2. Getting to Know You

Azrem to Ruuk no Hanashi

X . x . x . X

Chapter Two: Getting to Know You

X. x . x . X

Noa was soon introduced to his quarters—well, Ryuuji's quarters—being a slave, the two of them were to share.

Ryuuji's room was lavishly expensive, with a large four poster canopy bed, lined with black satin sheets and covers made of the finest silk. The sort of silk that you could only get in a country known as Kriit. The finest fabrics and other rare materials were made there, though one wouldn't dare to cross the people of Kriit, for they were a war-based country, with many vast armies and not one defeat on their record. Many secrets were kept by that country, and many tried their best to stay on their side, or unassociated altogether.

Stepping bare footedly over to the large bed, the small slave boy took a seat upon its fluffy spread, sinking into the beautiful comforters and pillows. He glanced once more around the prince's room, this time in an attempt to memorize his surrounding areas. There were windows, both with spots to sit and leisurely watch the clouds above or the gardens below. The whole tint of this room was a light red, one you would see on a spring rose.

Not long after, light footsteps could be heard against the marble of the palace's corridor floors, and the long haired prince soon entered his bedroom once again. He smiled a bit to the boy, who was now curled up on his bed, engulfed in extraordinary silks and a large smile over his pink lips. The blacks and reds of the prince's sheets and pillows shown around the boy's lean and small form nicely, he himself now in a small black robe.

"It is time for us to get ready for dinner," Murmured the tall prince, as he stepped up to Noa on his bed in a careful stride, reaching up to shake the fallen boy's shoulder. "Noa. . ."

Shifting a bit on the bed, Noa's eyes fluttered open after a moment, looking confusedly up at Ryuuji as if for a second, he had forgotten where he was. He smiled a bit when he remembered. "What?"

"Time for dinner." He smiled a bit. "You took a long nap, little one."

Noa blushed a bit out of embarrassment, and tried to get out of the bed and stand. After a bit of difficulty and some help from the prince, standing was achieved. "Sorry,"

"No, it's fine. We'll need to brush your hair for the dinner, come now," Ryuuji held out one careful hand for the other, waiting for a bit for the other to take it, and then heading into an attached room. This seemed to be the bathroom, black tiles and marble, with golden trim was the theme. A large bathtub big enough to hold five people was located to the left of where Noa was now standing, and a counter, where Ryuuji had gone to retrieve a brush.

The prince grinned. "Here, I'll use my brush until we go out and search to buy you your own. Turn around." Noa did so, presenting the taller with his matted aqua locks. The prince lifted the brush and his opposite hand to Noa's head, carefully brushing out each and every tangle that the boy had managed. He was gentle with it, not rigid like Noa's mother had been when he was a child. Ever since then, the smaller boy had always been a bit weary about letting others brush his hair.

"All done," Ryuuji cheerfully declared, setting the silver-backed brush of his carefully down onto the table. Noa giggled at that, and turned himself around, as Ryuuji grabbed for an equally beautiful hand mirror to show Noa how his hair looked. Noa's eyes widened slightly, having not seen his hair in such a tidy state for eleven years of his life. He smiled.

Placing the mirror just as delicately down as he had the brush, emerald-eyed Ryuuji brushed past Noa, taking his hand swiftly. "Come now, we must bring ourselves to the dinner table to feast."

Noa smiled a bit at that, walking carefully along, barefoot still, but Ryuuji was as well. "I have not had a decent sized meal in a long time," Commented the blue eyed boy. It was true, him and his father could only live off of the money they earned from selling jewelry, and even though you'd assume, that itself was not enough to feed the both of them. The man next to them was a bread maker, so bread was a common thing for them to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. One would tire of it after a while.

- - -

After a small deal of walking, the two boys soon reached a grand dining room, one of those rather large and luxuriously long dining tables in the center of the room. Noa's mouth went slightly agape for a moment, having already been amazed by what parts of the palace he had already seen, but even more shocked by this.

Ryuuji let out a small chuckle at him, patting his head, before heading off to take a seat in one of the large chairs. Noa let out a small whimper at being left behind—scared of getting himself horribly lost in a palace this large—and taking the seat next to Ryuuji.

Many, many courses of feasting foods lay spread across the table, turkey, chicken, and meats of all sorts. Vegetables, soups, rice, fruits, breads, and wines. . . it was unbelievable. Noa had never imagined seeing so much food in once spot in his life. He looked up to Ryuuji carefully, and only found that his reaction was to be that of someone that saw this life everyday, which should have been expected.

Noa's own eyes sparkled with delight, as a woman poured a large glass of wine for the aqua haired boy, and then for Ryuuji. Noa thanked her kindly, bowing his head and setting a napkin in his lap. Ryuuji chuckled at him. "You don't have to thank her, it's what she's here for."

Noa frowned, and shook his head. "But she deserves to be thanked for what she does for your family, does she not?"

After a silent moment, Ryuuji nodded to him. "Yes, that she does."

Not too long after, the rest of the royal family were soon to join in on the feast, and in not a moment's time, each person had begun on their own plate.

- - -

After each person was excused from their meal, Ryuuji set out to take Noa somewhere. He tilted his head down to the boy's ear, lips nearly brushing against the careful curves as his breath spoke softly to him. "I want to show you my favourite spot," He murmured.

Noa blushed furiously at how close Ryuuji was to him, breath hitching for just a moment. He nodded, not about to disobey anything or any wish that the young prince wanted. With a loud laugh Ryuuji swiped his arms behind Noa's back to pull the other into his arms, holding him up bridal style. The aquamarine haired younger squeaked loudly, not ready for something like that as he held tightly onto Ryuuji's cloak in fear of being dropped.

Ryuuji chuckled low in his throat, kissing the top of his slave's head. "I'm not going to hurt you, don't worry." He grinned, and began to head off in the direction of a large garden, the one that could only be seen from Ryuuji's windows.

It was now nightfall, and it was quite difficult to see all of the designs and flowers and things in the garden in the night, though the lights from the large palace illuminated the garden just as well. Lining a sidewalk, there were small stone benches for one to sit and think to themselves, blocking out the world around them. In the center of the vast garden was a large fountain, flowers shaping its center and water pouring into four pools that progressively became larger and larger.

Carefully, the prince set the boy down to the ground and on his feet, taking his hand instead to lead the other along with himself. He pulled them into the heart and center of one of the outlying side rose gardens, where there was a patch of grass, just beneath where you could spot the moon.

Sitting himself down on the grass and letting his black robes fall around his lanky form, the prince grinned up at the other, whose face was showing quite nicely in the light that came from mother moon. His grin turned into a soft smile now, and he gently pulled Noa down to sit next to him. Noa did so quite willingly, his eyes sparkling as his attention was on the moon herself.

"This is my favourite spot," Murmured the prince as he stared quietly at Noa, the corners of his mouth playing at a smile. Turning his head to stare up at the moon with his companion, he continued. "I've taken some time off ever since I was very young to stare up at the moon here, in this spot. It's so quiet. It's perfect."

Noa nodded to show the other boy that he was indeed listening to him as he spoke. The prince's voice was entrancing, intoxicating. He could listen to the man's calm voice for hours, content. He smiled to the other now, and their attention was on each other's company once again, and not that of the moon.

The smaller of the two of them watched as Ryuuji let out a loud happy sigh, stretching himself and laying back on the grass in a catlike manner. He giggled at that, watching Ryuuji's beautiful ebony hair pool out beneath the crown of his head, as his green eyes sparkled like jewels under the moon's light.

"I wish I had had a place to sneak off to when I was younger," He murmured, not only in an attempt to begin conversation, but it had reminded him of some instances.

"Why is that?"

"My family was quite poor, just like my father is now. My mother was quite scary, and she would get very angry frequently. She liked to tell me that she did not understand how someone could love a child like me. I still, to this day, am not entirely sure what it is that I did wrong. She was a drunk."

Ryuuji frowned at that, no longer letting himself lay comfortably on the grass, and lifting himself up to sit.

"Sometimes I just wanted somewhere to run to." He said with a weak smile over his face. Ryuuji tilted his head to the side. "It was then when I used to wish I were you."

"Wish. . . you were me. . .?" Ryuuji's brow furrowed in question. "Why was that?"

"You are the prince. I never thought that anything went wrong for you. To me, your life was wonderful. Everything was grand, and I wished I could be like that. Wished that I wasn't poor, and that I could eat dinner with my family each night." He confessed carefully. "That is why I knew it was you when I saw you come to our little shop."

Ryuuji smiled a bit, careful not to say anything that would further hurt the other's feelings in such a tense situation. His hands played mindlessly with the green grass beneath his slim fingers, and he was picking out little portions of it without even noticing his actions. His eyes were on Noa, concerned for the other's being.

Noa's sapphire eyes soon met his own with a grin. "But that's alright. That was a long, long time ago. I barely remember those times. Just as I cannot remember anything from before I was five."

At this, the other frowned. "You cannot remember them?"

"There are many portions of my childhood that I do not remember anymore. As if. . . the memories had been intentionally wiped away." He shrugged. "It's alright. I don't really want to remember."

"I understand," He commented softly, moving himself so he was a bit closer to Noa, and letting himself stare up at the moon yet again that night. "Mm. . . what I have left of my own childhood was lovely. I dare say, I miss those days."

This made Noa laugh. "Oh? Why is that?"

"Well, nothing was wrong. There were no pressures of being a prince, no decisions to be made for a large country's well being. It was pretty care free. All I cared about was trying to catch a butterfly for my mother when she was sick." He laughed. "Soon, however, the butterfly moved on without me, and my mother was healed by a nice healer from the country of Qin."

Noa smiled softly. "That is nice to hear. We were not able to save my mother when she died—we did not have the money to pay a mage or a healer to help her. She may have scared me. . . but she was still my mother. I still miss her dearly."

Ryuuji nodded understandingly to the other's speaking. "That is understandable, she helped to raise you, right?"

"Yes. . . though I still cannot remember. I have dreams every once in a while, but they seem so strange, I never really try to remember or decipher them." He yawned a bit, leaning his head on the black haired prince's shoulder and closing his eyes. "Mostly nightmares. . . of wars. Horrible wars."

This made Ryuuji's soft smile fall. "Wars? But. . . would you have seen a war? There has never been such bloodshed in our calm lands. . ." He shifted a bit, moving to lay down and to pull Noa's resting head to his chest, not wanting to disturb his comfort too much.

"That is the part that I do not understand," Noa admitted. "I do not remember having seen any war. . ."


	3. Secrets of Kriit

Azrem to Ruuk no Hanashi

X . x . x . X

Chapter Three: Secrets of Kriit

X . x . x . X

Noa awoke the next morning in the luscious and overwhelmingly comfortable bed of Prince Ryuuji's, yet this time, it did not take as long for him to remember his surroundings. How he got there, still remained a mystery to his clouded morning mind. The small boy attempted to hold his eyes shut, fighting against awakening himself and rolling over, only to find himself between something really sqooshy, and another object that was a bit less sqooshy.

A small noise from the less sqooshy object caused the small boy to blink himself awake, and actually go digging around in the massive covers to discover the noise's maker. Sitting himself up carefully, a pushing around large heaps of satin pillows, Noa finally found the noise to have been from the prince. Funny, he would have thought Ryuuji had awakened by now. Shaking his head of the thought, Noa lifted a hand to awaken him, but stopped.

Why did he need to wake him up? He himself was still fighting wanting to go back to sleep, and it didn't seem as if the sun had risen just yet. In fact, the sun had not made any attempt to rise yet at all. The pale moonlight still shone high up in the air, spilling over the quite bedroom, where only the sounds of two persons' breathing could be heard. Could it be that he was having trouble sleeping again? It did not even seem early.

Finally, just the sight of the prince's face caught Noa's attention. He had not even been thinking of it before, his mind bustling with wondering what time it must be and why he himself was not sleeping. The boy looked simply wonderful in that moonlight. She spilled over the grounds of the marble floor, and poured herself over the bedspread, and over most of the prince's still body. His hair lay in a pool around the crown of his head, held up neatly by a dark red pillow, some sheets messily scattered over Ryuuji's thin form.

Every angle of his face was lightly accented in the moon's rays, and he looked almost angelic. So peaceful. It was quite beautiful. And at that moment, it occurred to the smaller boy that he shouldn't want to wake him. Only watch him, and listen to his careful breaths until the sun rose that morning.

Noa shifted to make himself comfortable, laying himself to rest in a nice position in the covers quietly, laying next to the prince, but not so close that he would awaken him with any small movement. He could still watch him, and that was the point. His pink lips twitched into a warm smile as he did so, admiring every flawless curve of Ryuuji's face, every wonderful angle of his body. He really was attractive.

Sooner rather than later, however, the smaller boy began to find it getting harder and harder to keep his eyes open. With a careful yawn, he rubbed at his itching eyes and went to snuggle himself into the blankets, letting himself attempt to fall asleep once more.

- - -

"Noa. . ." Whispered the soothing voice of the prince, coaxing the aquamarine haired boy to awaken. "Noa, it's morning. Wake up. . ."

His eyelids tightened as he rolled over the opposite direction, and he could faintly hear the chuckling of the prince behind himself. Pulling a nice warm pillow close to his chest, Noa tried to keep himself asleep, wishing to regain the hour or so that he'd lost to staring at Ryuuji's face.

Ryuuji's face? Wasn't that the same face that was attempting to wake him up? With a little mewl the slave boy rolled himself over the other way, blinking up at the taller with his bright eyes. "I'm hungry." He pouted.

This arose yet another chuckle from the taller. "That's good to hear, little one. We have breakfast on the table, there are many different fruits and things for you to choose from." The man was bending over slightly, and his hands were behind his back. "Do you need my help to stand, or do you think you could do that on your own?"

Sticking out his pink tongue from between his equally pink lips, Noa shifted his weight around on the bed. He had to kick his legs for a moment, to free himself from the grasps that the many sheets had on his thighs. Once that task had been taken care of, he was able to help himself up, and press his hands to the bed to lift his body to stand. "I'm up, I'm up. . ." He muttered, as his hands came up to rub at his eyes.

Ryuuji held out one slim fingered hand to take Noa's, and lead the sleepy boy with him down one of the palace's large corridors. They took the same direction as they had taken to get to dinner the night before, though it was easier to see around the place this time in the morning.

Taking a detour to his left, Ryuuji happily brought Noa with himself, out into the bright flower garden. The very same one from the night before as well. "We'll be eating out here this morning, if that's alright with you." Commented Ryuuji cheerfully, as he took his place on a chair before a small carved table, motioning for Noa to sit opposite him.

Noa did so, having to lift his robes to fit and make himself comfortable. His attention was now on Ryuuji, as he looked to the boy from his lap. "How did I get to the bed last night?" He asked carefully.

"You had fallen asleep on me last night in the garden," Ryuuji said softly. As he was giving his answer, a different woman than the one from the night before came by, setting a massive plate of fruits and crackers, and all sorts of other goodies down on the table between them. She seemed to be ignoring their conversation, as she poured each of them a small glass of tea, and then turned around to head off.

"So, I carried you back into the bedroom with me." Ryuuji finished, then reached over to pop a small grape into his mouth. Noa followed the prince's action, though his movements seemed a bit less carefree, and more hesitant. "You seem like a heavy sleeper. You did not even move one bit as I carried you. You are quite light, as well." He smiled.

Noa blushed a bit, embarrassed. "Erm. . . well. . . we don't—didn't—get to eat much when I was growing up. I still don't really tend to eat all that much."

"Is that why you have such a pale complexion?" Ryuuji asked softly.

Noa frowned. "Is that. . . a bad thing?"

"No, no!" The prince shook his head, leaning forward and on the edge of his seat. "No, it is one of the qualities that I like about you."

With a little chuckled, he replied: "I'm glad, then. . ."

Shortly after a silence passed between the two of them, Ryuuji's attention was once more on his companion. "There are some certain fabrics that I would like to purchase today in the marketplace for a certain piece that I am working on." The prince spoke. "I will be going to town. Would you like to come with me, or stay at home?"

For another moment, Noa pondered this, unsure if he'd rather walk around in the hot sun, or sleep. In the hot sun, however, he would be with Ryuuji, and he may even get the chance to talk with his father. He smiled. "I would like to accompany you."

- - -

The two of them soon arrived in town, and Ryuuji immediately led them to his desired store. The place was filled with wonderful fabrics, silks, satin, and anything else you could think of, in any colour. Ryuuji was talking quietly with the woman that owned the shop, as she gave him her small tidbits of advice, and helped the disguised prince to find just the colours he had been searching for.

Across the little store from where they stood was Noa, picking carefully through all of the other fabrics in one corner, and pretending to seem amused. He couldn't really place why Ryuuji would want fabrics, and when the two of them left the little shop, the prince refused to show what he had bought to Noa.

As the two of them pressed through the large and crowded streets of Ruuk, an unusual bustling of gossip and news seemed to be going around. Every once in a while, Noa would catch bits and pieces, and he still couldn't understand the entire thing. It was about Kriit.

That was strange, he thought. Kriit? They never mentioned Kriit around these streets. Azrem was on safe terms with the country, and they planned to stay that way. Most of the citizens of Azrem were scared of Kriit, and scared of just what exactly the war-enraged country may do if the two were to cross paths.

Another portion caught. "Their prince seems to have been. . ."

Prince? Noa frowned, hand tightly holding onto Ryuuji's to keep from losing him. He did not know that Kriit had a prince as Azrem did. Of course, no one knew barely anything about Kriit, except for the wars they had started and won. If they were not buying something expensive from the country, or trading for something equally or more valuable on the road of Nisaih, then nothing else was important to the Azrem people.

". . .that long ago?" Came yet another bit of gossip. This one was definitely not easy to decipher. Noa soon glanced up as his father's shop came into view, and he shook all thoughts of the news from his mind.

"Ryuuji?" He whispered, tugging on the prince's hand. "May I see my father?"

The prince looked down at the other, whose eyes seemed almost pleading. "Of course," He smiled carefully, and turned them through the bustling crowd of people to take a shortcut to Noa's father's shop. The man's eyes widened, and he jumped up from his seat in greeting as the two boys came into view.

"Why hello!" He cried, arms outstretched. "How're you two doin' today?"

Noa giggled a bit. "Just wonderful," He said gladly, hands folded in front of himself. Ryuuji nodded to show the same. "And you?"

The man let out a grunt, rubbing at his graying beard in thought. "Eh, it goes. Not many customers lately," He said with a slight frown. "But the news is quite fun ta listen' ta 'round 'ere."

Noa blinked at that. "Yes, I've been hearing people talk about it on the streets, but I couldn't really figure out what it was. Could you tell me?" Noa leaned over the table, as Ryuuji's attention was soon brought to a shining silver broach that mingled with the other items on Noa's father's display.

"Perfect," Ryuuji whispered, bringing it into his hand. Noa was too eager to hear what the hustle was all about in the square, and he hadn't heard Ryuuji's mutterings.

"Well," his father began. "It seems to be that Kriit is in search of their prince. I didn't know myself that them Kriits even 'ad a prince, but apparently so. They say he's been missin' 'ere since he was 'bout five. Them Kriits are some weird folk, lemme tell ya. Their prince goes a missin' and they only give enough of a damn to care about 9 er so years later, just 'cause their King died. There's an all out hunt for 'em. Not 'round these parts, o'course. I haven't seen any of them Kriits since my teen years."

"That seems. . . strange." Noa frowned. "Do they even know where he is?"

"Their best bet is ta jus' assume the kid's dead and leave 'em be. Haven't seen 'em in so long. Besides, I know them Kriits got somethin' up their sleeves. Save for them wars, those people never had much of anything to care about. I myself, think this is some ploy to catch Qin's attention."

Noa furrowed his brow. "Qin?" He questioned, as Ryuuji moved to stand behind him, the shining silver broach now in the bag with the fabrics, and the 250 Nei set down carefully on the display where the broach had originally been. "What would they want with the people of Qin?"

"Well, you know just as well as all of us how long them Kriits been wantin' to take over Qin. Big farmin' country. Make themselves more money. They spend so damned much of their wealth on their militia, so they barely have enough money to feed their own people. Annexing Qin would give them just the thing they need. And pleasin' the royals of Qin is one 'ard thing ta do. They'll a have to work real damned 'ard on that one. Makin' 'emselves vulnerable, and makin' it seem like they are missin' somethin' that precious as their own prince would be just the perfect way to get them Qins attention. Soon they'll start lookin' in Qin for their "lost prince" and slowly form some sick sort of alliance, then carefully, carefully annex the country. Wagin' war on thems Qins ain't gonna help 'em. Wouldn't wanna ruin the fine land."

Ryuuji soon tilted his head down to the other boy's ear, as he had done the night before, brushing his lips against it carefully. "Come now, we must be off home. There is something that I need to have done."

Noa nodded to the prince, before looking back to his father. "We need to go, father. But I'll talk to you soon." He smiled happily. "Take care."

Ryuuji carefully took Noa's hand, leading him down the street with him as Noa's father continued waving. "You too!" He cried after, before looking down, and taking the Nei that Ryuuji had left in the broach's place.

- - -

After dinner that night, the two of them were standing in the hallway corridor before a large door, as Ryuuji was waiting for someone in the room. The black haired prince was pacing back and forth, and listening to Noa talk.

"Do you think the people of Kriit would really do that? I do not know anything about them, but do you think that sounds true?"

"Which part of it?"

"What my father said, about thinking it was all just a scam to annex Qin. Do you think that could be true?"

Ryuuji only shook his head, still pacing. "It may very well be true, and we would not know either way. We do not know those people of Kriit, nor their morals. Only of fine silks and wines, prostitutes and war."

Noa was about to comment, but he was stopped as the woman that Ryuuji had been waiting for finally finished the work she had been doing, letting only the prince inside. Noa frowned at that, shifting uncomfortably, and briefly hoping that the two of them weren't getting too close.

Wait. . . what? Why would he be thinking that? He was not a pleasure slave, he was only a companion for Ryuuji. He would not be jealous of someone that seemed to receive more affections than he. He frowned at his own objections, and tried to block his mind from the thoughts.

Not too long after the two persons' exchange, Ryuuji returned, and Noa was immediately searching for any marks on him or kiss-bitten lips. He was relieved to find nothing suspicious, except for a bag that he held in his hands. Noa looked down to the large bag quizzically, tilting his head to the side. Ryuuji only let out a giggle, and lifted a finger to Noa's lips to silence any voiced questions that the smaller may have.

He took Noa's hand with one of his own, returning them both to another bedroom in the large palace, this one with a blue tint. It was not nearly as lavish at the prince's bedroom, but it was definitely more than any rich citizen could afford. "Turn around," Ryuuji commanded softly, and watched as Noa obeyed.

All Noa could hear was the rustling of the bag, and something seeming to have been pulled out of it. "Alright, turn around now."

Noa did so once more, and found himself face to face with a long, dark blue and silken cloak, obviously made with the very same cloth that Ryuuji had purchased during their outing. Sparkling at the neck was the broach, in the shape of a Celtic knot. Ryuuji smiled softly.

"I had it made especially for you. To match your eyes. It is for you to wear when the palace has parties, weddings, and other occasions."

The smaller boy's eyes were sparkling with delight, and he clapped his hands together, before hugging the fabric cloak to his chest with glee. "Thank you," He whispered carefully. "Thank you so much."

Ryuuji only shook his head, a happy smile still on his own lips. "It was my pleasure. And, you must try it on." He declared, as he lifted his hands to take the cloak from Noa and fluff it out, before wrapping it around the boy's shoulders. There was a light hood to cover himself from the sun, and it was kept down as he tried it on. Ryuuji went to clasp the broach, before standing back a couple paces to observe Noa happily.

"It looks just marvelous on you, Noa." He smiled carefully, holding both hands out for the smaller to come to him. Noa looked just a bit confused, but he did so willingly, taking both of Ryuuji's hands in his own.

The prince's head tilted down, whispering a small question into the blue eyed boy's ear. "May I have the permission to kiss you, Noa?" He asked carefully, heated breath against the smaller boy's ear. Noa's eyes widened, and his only response was a weak nod.

Smiling warmly, and with soft emerald eyes looking down over the other boy's face, Ryuuji dipped his head in once swift movement, but paced himself before the other's lips. He actually wanted this to go slowly, to wish for it to last forever, as he finally let their lips touch. He broke both hands free from Noa's to set them on the smaller's waist, eyes closed in the careful bliss of the one moment.

Noa was a bit confused as to what he was supposed to do, so he only pressed back, hands unsure. Soon, they were on the back of Ryuuji's neck, carefully placed, as the prince pulled back slowly. Neither boy wanted to open their eyes, in fear of shattering their perfect moment, as they stay silent. Ryuuji was the first to speak, eyelids fluttering open.

"Was that. . . alright?" He questioned in a gentle whisper, blushing ever so slightly. Noa let out a small giggle, and nodded.

"Yes, you did perfectly."


End file.
